On March 8, 2016, in CCSI-RSK headquarters in Rabat, UCLG Africa took part in the launch of “Fa3ila” Program Day under the theme “Migrant Woman and Female Entrepreneurship”. A hundred participants including several women took part in the meeting.

The session was opened by M. Abdellah Abbad, President of Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services of Rabat-Salé-Kénitra Region (CCSI-RSK), who expressed his pleasure by the holding of this conference in the framework of the International Women’s Day 2016 celebration.

The MRE Representative then made a presentation on the national strategy of immigrants’ economic integration. She specifically reminded the context where 3% of the world population is living overseas which leads to considering immigration as a major issue of globalization.

In September 2013, the Human Rights National Council recommended the elaboration of a policy of immigration and asylum in Morocco. Following the royal instructions, more than 18.000 immigrants were legalized. An immigration strategy was adopted in 2014 in order to address humanitarian concerns, access to basic services, international cooperation and to consider immigration as an opportunity rather than a threat.

The strategy incorporates four main missions:

– Facilitate integration

– Set up an appropriate legal and regulatory framework

– Renewed cooperation

– Shared responsibility with countries of origin and transit including the fight against illegal immigration.

Concerning the employment sectorial program, one of the components of the immigration strategy, the focus is on the possibilities of self-employment aid. Henceforth, immigrants have access to the national mutual aid and professional training. The support in integrating the job market completes the panoply of actions.

The President of X-Lance Association then made a presentation on “Fa3ila” Program that supports the economic integration of migrant women in the framework of the national policy of integration of migrant populations. This program includes an awareness phase that concerned 53 projects of migrant women of which 20 were shortlisted to get support. The support included:

– Personal development;

– Business model training;

– Coaching.

– Pitch training.

The selection committee selected 10 projects that will benefit from support towards and after the creation phase. The projects benefit from a legal and fiscal support; a capacity building; mentoring for access to market and funds.

This program is set up in partnership with REFIME Association (Migrant Women Network). The REFIME President displayed the awful situation of migrant women and recognized the efforts of the Moroccan Kingdom to improve their fate. She welcomed the collaboration with X-Lane Association and the implementation of the pilot program “Fa3ila” that she wanted to see go beyond the pilot stage to reach more migrant women hoping to create their own jobs.

In his intervention that followed, the secretary general, after wishing a good Women’s Day to all girls and women who are present, first welcomed the new policy of legalizing and receiving immigrants. He recalled that during the latest Africities Summit, held in December 2015 in Johannesburg, South Africa, mayors and territorial authorities of Africa adopted a Charter of Migrations that set the reception and treatment conditions of the immigrant populations at the territorial level. He also highlighted the effort made to allow the reception of the immigrants’ children in schools within their host territories. In this regard, a pilot program on destroying stereotypes was led by 24 schools in the agglomeration of Casablanca in partnership with the Moroccan association of students’ parents and the Academy of Casablanca. This experience led to a more vast project called “l’Ecole du Vivre Ensemble” which will be launched on March 11, in Oujda in the Oriental Region.

The meeting ended by a roundtable where the main actors of the promotion of entrepreneurship and self-employment in Morocco presented their methods, tools and ways of intervention and support. The panel included: CGEM, CRI, ANAPEC, CGC, Maroc PME et X-Lance.